Episode Overview
Bill Heffernan has always taken a creative approach to marketing his very traditional home service.
He caused a stir and generated business decades ago when he used to wear a top hat and tails while riding a bike to promote Master Chimney Sweepers.
And in the early 1990s, Heffernan wasn’t hesitant to send out mailers about carbon monoxide issues that asked: “Is there a killer in your basement?”
These days, Master Chimney Sweepers is a father-and-son business. Bill is the founder; Tom is the director of sales.
Tom is just as aggressive as Bill when it comes to leading a sales and marketing effort that pedals at top speed.
“If you're not asking for the business at the end of [a meeting], then you're not going to get it,” Tom says. “You can throw all these other things you want at your sales process to try to make it better. But if you're not asking for the business, then none of that other stuff matters.”
From experience, Bill also notes that chimney sweeping is a seasonal business that often leads to diversification.
“What are you going to do from January to September?” Bill asks. “If you don't have an outbound [marketing] program, you're going to have to diversify, which most chimney sweeps do. They diversify into the masonry business, and become masons or gutter cleaners.”
Bill adds that one crucial component of keeping a home services company in the black is not being afraid to raise prices when necessary.
“I’ve been the price-hike decision maker for many years,” he says. “It takes guts to keep your prices going up. But I always say that if 25 percent of the people aren’t complaining, you’re not high enough.”
A tip of the hat to charging what you’re worth.
Bill and Tom Heffernan recently joined ServiceTitan’s Jackie Aubel as part of Season 8 of the “Toolbox for the Trades” podcast, which included the Heffernans’ thoughts on:
(3:42) How the ’70s energy crisis influenced the chimney sweep industry
(16:36) Incorporating outside industry tactics into your sales strategy
(23:47) Why direct mail is still a bona fide marketing tactic
(31:55) The power of collaboration in a small family business
(42:26) Having the guts to raise prices when necessary
To hear more stories from the trades, subscribe to Toolbox for the Trades on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, our website, or anywhere you get podcasts.
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